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Old 23 June 2020, 12:16 AM   #1
Juan Luis
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F.P. Journe question

Hello,
Anyone can give me heads-up about availability of CHRONOMÈTRE BLEU in the boutiques. I've seen this going at double MSRP. Is this the same as Rolex with the hot steel models? Just wondering if going to their AD's is a waste of time.
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Old 23 June 2020, 12:22 AM   #2
golfinz
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Waste of your time. The only thing known about buying a CB new is that if you're current a FPJ client, it's nearly impossible to get (wait list is rumored to be years). If you haven't bought an FPJ from a boutique or AD, it is impossible to get a new CB.

If you want it, you'll have to buy second hand.
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Old 23 June 2020, 03:33 AM   #3
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Waste of your time. The only thing known about buying a CB new is that if you're current a FPJ client, it's nearly impossible to get (wait list is rumored to be years). If you haven't bought an FPJ from a boutique or AD, it is impossible to get a new CB.

If you want it, you'll have to buy second hand.
Thank you.
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Old 23 June 2020, 06:20 AM   #4
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Unfortunately this is true.

Part of it is also due to the difficulty in creating the dial. Even though it's thought of as the entry-level FPJ, it's by no means entry-level to produce.

A CS should really be considered the entry-level (vs. the CB).
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Old 23 June 2020, 06:29 AM   #5
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Pretty much impossible to get like the others said.
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Old 23 June 2020, 08:54 AM   #6
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Purchased two FPJs from an AD in a 6 month span and still at the back of a 7 year line. I think the only reason I even got on the list was those two purchases. Boutique said no chance to even get on the list. So I bought it second hand. Life is too short to wait 7 years on any watch. That's absurd.

Was it worth it? You bet!
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Old 23 June 2020, 09:03 AM   #7
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Agreed - if the CB is what you want, get it. Life is too short.
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Old 23 June 2020, 09:10 AM   #8
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Given the failure rate of the dials and the difficulty to make/finish Tantalum cases, the CB has to be the lowest margin product they have.

Lowest margin would make it the hardest to obtain. Thus it is far from entry level.

Just like a Patek 5711 blue is harder to get than a grand complication, the same is true here.

Go grey, I don't see the CB prices going down anytime soon.
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Old 23 June 2020, 10:49 PM   #9
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Cant believe how a 20K watch now sells for 45K.

Just lucky was able to snag one at the Tokyo boutique two years ago.

Definitely worth it at 20K. Just not sure if still worth it at 45K.

At that price, i might aim for a centrigraphe.

But that blue dial is just mesmerizing. And i think they may have tantalum deployant clasps now. It was still being developed i was told when i got mine.
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Old 23 June 2020, 10:55 PM   #10
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Cant believe how a 20K watch now sells for 45K.

Just lucky was able to snag one at the Tokyo boutique two years ago.

Definitely worth it at 20K. Just not sure if still worth it at 45K.

At that price, i might aim for a centrigraphe.

But that blue dial is just mesmerizing. And i think they may have tantalum deployant clasps now. It was still being developed i was told when i got mine.
Agreed. I liked the idea of FPJ a while ago due to bang for buck but I don't see the point at current prices.
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Old 23 June 2020, 11:12 PM   #11
motisingh
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This is my ultimate dress watch. Just love the blue dial!
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Old 24 June 2020, 12:14 AM   #12
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Cant believe how a 20K watch now sells for 45K.

Just lucky was able to snag one at the Tokyo boutique two years ago.

Definitely worth it at 20K. Just not sure if still worth it at 45K.

At that price, i might aim for a centrigraphe.

But that blue dial is just mesmerizing. And i think they may have tantalum deployant clasps now. It was still being developed i was told when i got mine.
Was told by the Boutique it is a 25K watch now, so 27 if you are paying tax. Point still stands though and is valid. It is a very expensive proposition. Also, I think the days of Centigraphes at 45K are long gone. Upper 50's now. FPJ has blown up and many who say the value proposition is being lost might be correct.

I still feel there is great value when compared to Patek.
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Old 24 June 2020, 12:30 AM   #13
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I guess for OP it would boil down to how much he wants a CB. Like the steel sports watches, availability is not an issue. It’s the premium (almost double) you have to pay.

As an aside, what i like about my CB purchase is that it epitomizes the combination of my love for travel and watches. We dont have all nice watches available in the Philippines. Even grey. So what i do is when i know i have an upcoming trip, i order online from an AD or sellwr based where i am going and pick up from there. With covid, those days are gone as well (for the mean time).
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Old 24 June 2020, 01:38 AM   #14
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Was told by the Boutique it is a 25K watch now, so 27 if you are paying tax. Point still stands though and is valid. It is a very expensive proposition. Also, I think the days of Centigraphes at 45K are long gone. Upper 50's now. FPJ has blown up and many who say the value proposition is being lost might be correct.

I still feel there is great value when compared to Patek.
To me, the value proposition is still there as a watch to buy and hold, maybe less so if appreciation is important. When compared dollar for dollar to other comparably priced watches, I still think FPJ watches are great value. The pieces are just very interesting and aesthetically pleasing to me across the lineup.
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Old 24 June 2020, 03:52 AM   #15
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To me, the value proposition is still there as a watch to buy and hold, maybe less so if appreciation is important. When compared dollar for dollar to other comparably priced watches, I still think FPJ watches are great value. The pieces are just very interesting and aesthetically pleasing to me across the lineup.
Absolutely agree. I do not make a habit of paying over retail for watches, but the CB was a special case. I went into it eyes wide open and said "hey, this may not be the worlds greatest idea from a purely financial perspective, so you better make sure you love it and hold it." I do not delude myself with most watch purchases. I have been collecting for 15 years and have owned over 50 watches during that time. Only 11 remain. Of those probably a half a dozen are sure fire keepers for life that have stayed with me in many collection purges. I knew with the cost of the CB it was going to be one of those for sure keepers. So cost really does not matter to me in that scenario. Potentially terrible watch to buy second hand if you think you might flip it in a year (but who knows if FPJ changes the watch, as many are surmising will happen, then maybe mid 40s will seem cheap one day).
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Old 24 June 2020, 07:54 AM   #16
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Absolutely agree. I do not make a habit of paying over retail for watches, but the CB was a special case. I went into it eyes wide open and said "hey, this may not be the worlds greatest idea from a purely financial perspective, so you better make sure you love it and hold it." I do not delude myself with most watch purchases. I have been collecting for 15 years and have owned over 50 watches during that time. Only 11 remain. Of those probably a half a dozen are sure fire keepers for life that have stayed with me in many collection purges. I knew with the cost of the CB it was going to be one of those for sure keepers. So cost really does not matter to me in that scenario. Potentially terrible watch to buy second hand if you think you might flip it in a year (but who knows if FPJ changes the watch, as many are surmising will happen, then maybe mid 40s will seem cheap one day).
Couldn’t agree more and same conclusion I came to on the CB (and my 38mm Octa Lune for that matter too).
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Old 24 June 2020, 08:15 AM   #17
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Couldn’t agree more and same conclusion I came to on the CB (and my 38mm Octa Lune for that matter too).
That 38mm Lune is super cool.
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Old 24 June 2020, 09:56 AM   #18
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Absolutely agree. I do not make a habit of paying over retail for watches, but the CB was a special case. I went into it eyes wide open and said "hey, this may not be the worlds greatest idea from a purely financial perspective, so you better make sure you love it and hold it." I do not delude myself with most watch purchases. I have been collecting for 15 years and have owned over 50 watches during that time. Only 11 remain. Of those probably a half a dozen are sure fire keepers for life that have stayed with me in many collection purges. I knew with the cost of the CB it was going to be one of those for sure keepers. So cost really does not matter to me in that scenario. Potentially terrible watch to buy second hand if you think you might flip it in a year (but who knows if FPJ changes the watch, as many are surmising will happen, then maybe mid 40s will seem cheap one day).
Agree 100000000% and well said. Love your perspective.

If you want a CB, damn the cost and get it. She's a keeper.
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Old 24 June 2020, 11:54 AM   #19
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That 38mm Lune is super cool.
Thanks!
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Old 24 June 2020, 07:30 PM   #20
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Agree 100000000% and well said. Love your perspective.

If you want a CB, damn the cost and get it. She's a keeper.
The CB is also a bit unique in that you can't "buy your way into it." If you want a DaytonaC, and are willing to buy 100K worth of other Rolex you can probably get it pretty quickly. Nothing will move you up the list at the boutique for a CB. It's pretty strictly controlled. So, with a closed 7-8 year list, there is really no choice. Life is short. Enjoy it while you can.

I have also heard that it is extremely likely that the CB gets changed in some meaningful way before those 7 years are up. So again, if you want it, buy it. But hang on to it. It's worth it.
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Old 24 June 2020, 11:22 PM   #21
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So because of the dial and case material, not that easy to produce the CB?

Unlike the Nautilus, Royal Oak or Daytona - that is, if PP, AP or Rolex want to, they can ramp up production since just SS?
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Old 25 June 2020, 02:20 AM   #22
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The CB is also a bit unique in that you can't "buy your way into it." If you want a DaytonaC, and are willing to buy 100K worth of other Rolex you can probably get it pretty quickly. Nothing will move you up the list at the boutique for a CB. It's pretty strictly controlled. So, with a closed 7-8 year list, there is really no choice. Life is short. Enjoy it while you can.

I have also heard that it is extremely likely that the CB gets changed in some meaningful way before those 7 years are up. So again, if you want it, buy it. But hang on to it. It's worth it.
Based on my experience, though the list is strictly controlled, it is possible to move your way up the list at the boutiques. However, it is a combination of relationships, and purchase history (and significantly harder than buying $100k worth of Rolexes to get the allocation pieces).
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Old 25 June 2020, 02:29 AM   #23
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So because of the dial and case material, not that easy to produce the CB?

Unlike the Nautilus, Royal Oak or Daytona - that is, if PP, AP or Rolex want to, they can ramp up production since just SS?
The CB is actually Journe's most difficult watch to produce. Only about 30% of the dials make the cut, the rest have to be discarded. And the tantalum case is more difficult to work with than steel or gold.

They used to manufacture around 200 CBs per year. The production has been cut down to 100 pieces per year now.
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Old 25 June 2020, 02:31 AM   #24
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I have also heard that it is extremely likely that the CB gets changed in some meaningful way before those 7 years are up. So again, if you want it, buy it. But hang on to it. It's worth it.
I have heard it is likely to be discontinued.
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Old 25 June 2020, 04:42 AM   #25
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Now the cs and elegante are hard to get

journe is becoming popular. Both are backordered at the boutique. They only make 900 watches per year across all lines and are becoming more popular with mainstream buyers
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Old 25 June 2020, 06:25 AM   #26
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Based on my experience, though the list is strictly controlled, it is possible to move your way up the list at the boutiques. However, it is a combination of relationships, and purchase history (and significantly harder than buying $100k worth of Rolexes to get the allocation pieces).
That makes sense. I suppose if you have been buying them for years and have a 500K spend history at the boutique I'd expect you might get one as well.

I can tell you that a 150K spend history with an AD over a 3 year period (not just on FPJ) got me a promise to get on a closed list in last place. So it did open a spot on the list for me, with a 7 year wait. I suppose if I tripled that maybe I would have moved up to 3 years out. LOL.
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Old 25 June 2020, 06:30 AM   #27
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That makes sense. I suppose if you have been buying them for years and have a 500K spend history at the boutique I'd expect you might get one as well.
Those clients already have a CB, likely for years now.
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Old 25 June 2020, 06:30 AM   #28
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I have heard it is likely to be discontinued.
I try very hard not to traffic in discontinuation rumors, but I have been told directly by Boutique staff twice that they do not believe the CB will exist in it's current form in the next 3 years. Whether that is complete discontinuation or significant alterations to the current design I do not know, and they did not say.

The history of FPJ shows quite clearly that nothing stays around a super long time. The Resonance has, but in 4 different forms. The CB has been going awhile now, so logic would dictate it has a rapidly expiring shelf life, which has been confirmed to me by boutique staff as previously mentioned.

We shall see. I am glad I just bought it. It is so worth it.
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Old 25 June 2020, 06:33 AM   #29
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Those clients already have a CB, likely for years now.
Exactly. I was late to the FPJ party (but thankfully before everything went bonkers), and that tardiness cost me on the CB for sure. Wish I would have bought my first FPJ several years ago. Completely different market.
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Old 25 June 2020, 06:35 AM   #30
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I try very hard not to traffic in discontinuation rumors, but I have been told directly by Boutique staff twice that they do not believe the CB will exist in it's current form in the next 3 years. Whether that is complete discontinuation or significant alterations to the current design I do not know, and they did not say.

The history of FPJ shows quite clearly that nothing stays around a super long time. The Resonance has, but in 4 different forms. The CB has been going awhile now, so logic would dictate it has a rapidly expiring shelf life, which has been confirmed to me by boutique staff as previously mentioned.

We shall see. I am glad I just bought it. It is so worth it.

Agreed. I have actually had boutique staff tell me that the watch will most likely be discontinued at some point.
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